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I have discovered (at least on my Win8 64-bit PC) that each time I make changes and reload a map into MapSource using the same map ID, the changes are not displayed, and only the original map installed with the specific mapID will be displayed, even after uninstalling any previous versions of the map and deleting all associated files.

You know that MS/BC cache graphics and that Control-G flushes the MS/BC graphics cache?
I know that with Win7 if I rebuild a mapset the first time it loads it shows the old graphics, but after I Control-G things look new.  Have you been doing this, and it's not working?  Of course, if you create a new mapset, it would always show up.

No, I was not doing this. Now that you mention it, I remember doing this once a long time ago, and had forgotten completely about that function.

I knew there had to be a simple solution, there usually is.

Thanks for the heads up, Seldom!

I have solved the issue with loosing visibility above 1 mile zoom.

My workflow is this:

1. create/edit map in GPSMapEdit
2. save as *.mp
3. export as *.img
4. install *.img into MapSource with MSTK
5. open MapSource to inspect map
6. uninstall map from MapSource with MSTK

I repeat this process each time I want to change a value or edit a specific map detail so I can see how that change will appear in MapSource/BaseCamp (I use MapSource because it loads faster than BaseCamp, and I am impatient).

I have discovered (at least on my Win8 64-bit PC) that each time I make changes and reload a map into MapSource using the same map ID, the changes are not displayed, and only the original map installed with the specific mapID will be displayed, even after uninstalling any previous versions of the map and deleting all associated files.

If I want to see changes each time, I have to install the map with a new mapID every time.

Have any other users experienced this issue, and if so, how can I force MapSource to clear it's cache?

Simplification is about a number of points in a line. Bigger values means more points remain from original drawing. Nothing changes in levels or visibility.

With SimplifyLevel=0.1 my map looked like a preschool art project.
With SimplifyLevel=10 my map looked the same as before I added any value to my header.

Page 12 of cgpsmapper manual states (as you quoted) valid range is from 0.1 up to 10, and Default = 1.

Is it possible the cgpsmapper manual has a typo, and the maximum level is actually 1.0, with a range from 0.1-1.0?

This would suggest that this value decides the percentage of points retained during simplification, where 0.1 = ten percent, 0.5 = fifty percent, and 1.0 = one hundred percent (or NO simplification), which would explain why I see no change between using no value (default = 1) and using value=10.

Thank you popej. I added 'SimplifyLevel=0.1" to the header myself, recompiled, and see no change. Do header items have to be in specific order?

[IMG ID]
CodePage=1252
LblCoding=9
ID=17791779
Name=SW Trails 130808
Preprocess=N
TreSize=250
TreMargin=0.00000
RgnLimit=1000
SimplifyLevel=0.1
Transparent=Y
POIIndex=Y
POINumberFirst=Y
POIZipFirst=Y
Levels=4
Level0=24
Level1=23
Level2=21
Level3=18
Zoom0=0
Zoom1=1
Zoom2=2
Zoom3=3
[END-IMG ID]

Edit: I read it backward, using higher number now....

Low value = horribly simplified map!

Even using maximum value of 10, the only change I see is that my map is now only visible below 1 mile zoom level, with identical detail.

You can use "SimplifyLevel" in header, values in  range 2 - 3 can help a bit.

I am not familiar with this setting.....

Have you noticed "overzoom" message under Mapsource scale? This means that map precision is too low for that scale.

How do I increase map precision for those lower scales?

Edit:

I see CNNANT and GPSFD 24k AZ Topo show overzoom below 500 ft, Garmin 24K Topo below 200 ft, and Garmin 100k Topo below 800 ft.

Is 200 ft the best detail we can currently achieve?

After solving previous issues, I am moving along with my map making adventure and have discovered a new issue I cant seem to resolve.

When I export my *.mp map to *.img format with GPSMapEdit/cgpsmapper the resulting map suffers loss of detail that is unacceptable.

In this linked screen capture, you can see the original mp map detail compared to the exported map after installation into MapSource.

Map Levels are:

Level0= 24 Zoom0=0
Level1= 23 Zoom1=1
Level2= 21 Zoom2=2
Level3= 18 Zoom3=3


All Polylines exist on Level0 and are extended up to Level2

Map Header:

; Generated by GPSMapEdit 2.0.77.1

[IMG ID]
CodePage=1252
LblCoding=9
ID=17791779
Name=SW Trails 130808
Preprocess=N
TreSize=250
TreMargin=0.00000
RgnLimit=1000
Transparent=Y
POIIndex=Y
POINumberFirst=Y
POIZipFirst=Y
Levels=4
Level0=24
Level1=23
Level2=21
Level3=18
Zoom0=0
Zoom1=1
Zoom2=2
Zoom3=3
[END-IMG ID]

I have been experimenting with various TRE/RGN values, turning cgpsmapper preprocessing on/off, and have been unsuccesful in maintaining map detail in the final IMG.

I must be overlooking something very simple....

Any thoughts, please?

Boyd, are yo also going to address how different TYP files appear in BaseCamp/MapSource?

I am finding some colors will work on my Garmin Montana 650/Oregon 650/Oregon550 but do not appear correctly in MapSource or BaseCamp.

Lots of trial and error!

Look forward to your article, Boyd. I have been creating my own custom TYP files just this week!

Added one additional layer to the *.mp, exported IMG, used MSTK to install new IMG into MapSource without GMapTool, but with blank preview, and no more locked image.

Interstingly, not all map detail is displayed in MapSource/BaseCamp, and some detail is shown at random zoom levels.

I rechecked my *.mp, set all to level 0, repeat process, same results.

BUT, sending the map to my Montana, all map detail appears as I expect, so much as I have checked, while same details are not properly rendered in MapSource/BaseCamp.

Please download this small example

I confirm, that this file create locked TDB and DEM. It should be some kind of error in gmaptool or MapSetToolKit, I will look at it later.

To get your map installed, remove gmaptool from MapSetToolKit, then it will work with cgpsmapper. You can set "Blank overview map" to make it easy and fast. Without this option, cpreview will need all *.idx files and I'm not sure if MapSetToolKit copy them to destination directory.

Well, removing GMAP tool certainly stopped the locked map issue, but as you may have guessed, the map is now quite garbled and unusable.

OK, the issue appears to be with GPSMapEdit (I am using v2.0).

I found another windows program that can compile *.mp files into IMG files, which is primarily what I was using GPSMapEdit to do.

I simply substituted the new software IMG file in place of the GPSMapEdit IMG file, used MSTK again to install the map into MapSource, and MapSource opens and allows me to view my map without issue!

I sent the map from MapSource to my Montana 650 for verification, and some segments are missing from my map, although they are visible in MapSource, and some others are MIA from both MapSource and the Montana.


SO my convoluted workflow is now:

Use GM to search for and extract specific data types within *.shp files, and export as GPX.
Use GPSMapEdit to import, catalog and sort/align GPX files, exporting final product as *.mp.
Use MapTK to compile IMG from *.mp
Use MSTK to install IMG into MapSource

Still having other issue with MapTK software, however, so I would very much like to determine how I can stop the Map Key issue as described.....

This is a result of creating a PC mapset from a commercial map. No surprise it is locked. DEM and locked TDB are created by gmaptool, used by MapSetToolKit instead of cpreview.

All OSM data in my map. Nothing commercial, unless OSM has commercial data included. As I stated, the *.mp files I choose do not make the difference, the number of *.mp files I compile does.

Please download this small example and see if you can get it installed into MapSource without needing a key to use it after: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/44223181/Map%20Issues/Needs%20Key/Needs%20Key.zip

Also, please point out the commercial content, if you find any.

Thank You!

Are you using cpreview to create the TDB and background.IMG files?  If I use the "Install button" in MSTK, I need to have the TDB file and background.IMG file compiled before I run the install.  Note that cpreview doesn't like to run on OSM IMG files compiled by mkgmap. 

Check the cgpsmapper manual for details on how to run cpreview if you haven't already.  I generally run all my command line applications from a batch file.

Huh.

MSTK has been populating ALL files in the (otherwise empty) specified directory, including the TDB and additional IMG file:

17771777.img
17772543.DEM
SW Trails BCF.img
SW Trails BCF.img.idx
SW Trails BCF.mdx
SW Trails BCF.mp
SW Trails BCF.reg
SW Trails BCF.tdb
swtol.typ

A bunch more testing.......

......and it seems I can combine up to 4 *.mp files in GPSMapEdit and export to IMG and install to MapSourcce via MapSetToolKit without needing an unlock key to see the map.

But, if I combine any five or more *.mp files in GPSMapEdit and export to IMG (this works fine), that IMG can be installed into MapSource, but the map can not be viewed without an unlock key.